Cigar-box catch



(No Model.)

J. E. MERC'rOTT.

GIGAR BOX CATCH. NO. 258,788. Patented May 30,1882.

s mwce 2. $4gwcw S Wfinesga; 8 mwnhr:

- a M. mg,

JULIUS E. MERGOTT, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

CIGAR-BOX CATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 258,788, dated May 30, 1882.

Application filed February 3, 18852. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS E. MERGOTT, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigar-Box Catches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates more especially to that class of box-catches that are operated by pressing back the front wall of the box and thereby disengaging the fastening parts of said catches, the object being more particularly to reduce the cost of manufacture and to adapt said box-catches to be applied to the box with greater facility than has heretofore been done.

The invention consists in two plates of peculiar construction adapted to engage with one another, one. of which is fastened to the cover of the box and contains an aperture or slot formed within a tongue projecting downward and over a projecting lip formed upon the second plate, which is fastened to the body of said box. The said plate fastened upon the body of said box has an npwardly-projccting tongue formed upon it, which terminates in the lug or lip above referred to, said lip being adapted to engage with the aperture in the plate first mentioned, all as will be hereinafter set forth, and specifically embodied in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts in each of the several figures, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box to which my invention has been applied, showing the cover closed and the plates in engagement. Fig. 2 is a detached view of the box, showing it open and the plates disconnected; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the parts above referred to.

In carrying out my invention I construct Said tongue is bent slightly backward into a notch or recess in the box, as indicated more especially in Fig. 2, to allow the plate 0, connected with the cover D, to pass over it with greater facility, and also to make a neat finish. The plate 0, which is connected to the cover in the manner clearly indicated in the drawings, also has a tongue which projects downward and over the plate a. In it is formed the aperture or slot 6., placed in such a position as to engage with the lip b. The downwardly-projecting tongue 0 is slightly curved, as shown in Fig. 3, in order that the inner surface of said tongue will strike the lip 11 and spring over and into engagement therewith, as will be clearly understood.

The operation of my invention is extremely simple. When the cover is being closed the plate 0 is brought to bear upon the log or lip b of the lower plate, and automatically springs over and into engagement with said lug, as before mentioned. To open the box the front wall, A, of the box is pressed by the hand in such a manner and to such an extent as that the lip b will pass out of the aperture 0 and free the cover from confinement.

I am aware that catches for cigar-boxes have heretofore been made in which a rigid. hook or catch is secured to the front of the box, which takes into a recess in a plate sccured to the lid, and that others have been made composed of a T-shaped catch having a lower bulged or contracted cross-piece, stem, and hook to serve as a spring-catch, in combination with fastening-pins, which secure the cross-piece directly in place at the ends; also, that others have been made composed of a catch or anchor having an enlarged lower part with contractions above the same and a wider and then tapering-off portion or shank above the contractions. I therefore disclaim all these features.

What I claim is-- A box-fastener composed of the plate a, adapted to be secured to the outside of the recessed wall of a box, and provided with the upwardly-projccting flexible tongue terminating with the outwardly-projecting lip 12, and adapted to be bent backward into said recessed wall, and the plate 0, adapted to be se- In testimony that I claim the foregoing I cured to the outside of the lid of a box, and have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of provided with the downwardly-projeeting [lexi- April, 1880.

ble and slotted tongue 0, arranged and oper- JULIUS E. MERGOTT. ating, when closing the box, to engage with Witnesses:

the lip 11, as herein described, for the purpose OLIVER DRAKE,

set forth. CHARLES H. PELL. 

